8 Feb ‘11

“At first, Outcasts rekindled all my old prejudices, and yet gradually, like spacedust into an HS-9433X warp-drive engine, I was sucked in.”Tom Sutcliffe, The Independent

“As one twist followed the next, the human stories become as implausible as the science-fiction surrounding them.”Alex Hardy, The Times

“As with all home-grown attempts at science-fiction you have to put a certain part of yourself on hold when you’re watching.”Matt Baylis, The Express

“As often happens with an imaginary world this complicated, there was a tendency to force-feed the viewer information.”Tim Dowling, The Guardian

Storyville: Afghan Cricket Club - Out of the Ashes, BBC4

“It told the story of the Afghan cricket team, which was born in refugee camps in Pakistan following the 1979 Soviet invasion, and you didn’t have to be remotely interested in bats and balls to find it enthralling and uplifting.”Tom Sutcliffe, The Independent

“This was a darker, brighter, version of Cool Runnings and well deserved the support of one of its patrons, the director (and cricket nut) Sam Mendes.”Alex Hardy, The Times

“Life-affirming and heartbreaking by turns, Out of the Ashes had everything – except cricket.”Tim Dowling, The Guardian

Royal Navy Caribbean Patrol, Channel 5

“It takes pains to show us life below decks as well as the crash-bang-smuggler-catching action stuff.”Matt Baylis, The Express